If you walk into The Immigrant Welcome Centre鈥檚 Welcoming Communities Coalition鈥檚 forum in mid-November, you will be given a nametag with someone else鈥檚 name.

This pseudonym will be accompanied by a card that shares a piece of an immigrant鈥檚 story about settling in the Comox Valley. That card will be just the start of a journey to find and access the services you need to help you settle successfully in your new hometown.

鈥淭here are so many pieces involved in settling in a new country,鈥� coalition co-ordinator Julie Keumbehdjian says. 鈥淲hen you look for a job, is your international education recognized here? Do you want to access English language classes? How will you make friends?

鈥淲e hope this experience will help residents and service providers gain better insight into the challenges of being a newcomer in a place where the culture and language may not be familiar, or where your status as a resident is not always certain.鈥�

An event will take place at the Native Sons Hall Lodge Room in Courtenay on Saturday, Nov. 18, from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. The public is invited to register in advance for free online at https://bit.ly/3FF3fHw

As they go through the stations, participants may also learn about community services and organizations in the Valley of which they were unaware. After going through the story cards, everyone will come together and discuss what they experienced around coffee and tea.

鈥淭here will be a chance for meaningful discussion around what surprised people, what challenges stood out, and how we as a community can collaborate and make changes going forward,鈥� Keumbehdjian says. 鈥淭he goal is to create welcoming and inclusive communities where everyone feels welcome, no matter where they come from.鈥�

The first 40 people who register and attend will receive a $5 token to the Comox Valley Farmers鈥� Market, which takes place in the same building that day.

Anyone interested in more information about the forum can contact Keumbehdjian at julie.keumbehdjian@immigrantwelcome.ca or call 250-338-6359.